@Brian H: There's no reason the motor has to be in the stem. You could easily put a small motor inside the existing mirror housing without changing the exterior appearance at all.

Thomas N. | Octobre 18, 2013

Oh how I hope this doesn't turn into folding-mirror-gate.

cbassdriver | Octobre 18, 2013

The price also increased today on the tech package and the car!

ecarfan | Octobre 18, 2013

Have emailed my sales person asking if my S85 with Tech Package option,which I ordered 19 days ago and is scheduled for early December delivery, will have the heated power folding side mirrors. It's a nice feature. I seriously doubt they will produce a significant amount of extra drag at speed.

Gizmotoy | Octobre 18, 2013

@cbassdriver: Pricing looks identical to the one I ordered two weeks ago when $250 increase on the tech package is factored in. The price of the car remained unchanged.

Dramsey | Octobre 18, 2013

Yep, says it right there in the lust of Tech Package features: "Power folding, heated side mirrors".

It seems to have added $250 to the price of the package: it's $3,750 now, whereas I paid $3,500 less than a month ago.

I'd bet a fair amount of money that there is no external physical difference in the mirrors...

AmpedRealtor | Octobre 18, 2013

I think as Tesla adds more features, the previous explanations as to why those features were missing in the first place will be exposed as b*llsh*t. For instance, when prospective buyers came here to ask about the lack of power folding mirrors, tons of people came on board to say it wasn't possible due to the highly aerodynamic mirror stems, etc., that the motor wouldn't fit.

I hope this is a humbling experience to those who made those statements.

mjs | Octobre 18, 2013

@AR
I think its more likely that they thought they couldn't do it, then found a way to solve the problem.

It's almost like asking why the iPhone isn't thinner/smaller/faster/lighter/tougher. "Well, it's as (something) as we could make it." But then somehow it gets (something)er.

Gizmotoy | Octobre 18, 2013

@Amped: tons of people came on board to say it wasn't possible due to the highly aerodynamic mirror stems, etc., that the motor wouldn't fit.
People actually said that? That's depressing. An electric motor can just as easily be in the part the moves as the part that's stationary.

Gizmotoy | Octobre 18, 2013

Dah, hit submit too soon.

The likely reality is that they're a new and relatively small automaker, and had to pick and choose where to focus resources. Some of the luxuries weren't a high priority, so were put on the back burner.

Now that the car is starting mature, they're able to go back to those features they wanted to add but didn't have the resources to complete.

SamO | Octobre 18, 2013

@AR,

Agree that there seem to be a goodly number of armchair experts that will defend Tesla no matter what but @mjs's explanation seems to be logical.

Also, remember when EU got parking sensors first? Perhaps they've had them in development but had to launch the car.

Or there was a supplier problem . . .

redacted | Octobre 18, 2013

I never heard they couldn't do because of aerodynamics. Volkerize doesn't seem to find anything except:

"They thought that it could not be done,
Some even said they knew it,
But he faced up to what could not be done...
And he couldn't bloody do it!"

(Benny Hill for you youngn's)

AmpedRealtor | Octobre 18, 2013

This also shows that Tesla is listening to its customers and adding requested features. I think that's great.

GaryREM.va.us | Octobre 18, 2013

I recall seeing statements about aerodynamics too, but you can never find things in these forums.

We'll see if I can get the mirrors in my build. Here's hoping they got some in stock before they announced :)

Tiebreaker | Octobre 18, 2013

Agreed with mjs. I don't think it was the aerodynamics, I think it was to deliver more important things and the whole car on time.

Remember a while ago a post quoting Tesla's open position for a mirror engineer? I guess they hired them and they did their job!

Tiebreaker | Octobre 18, 2013

Darn closed >

Tiebreaker | Octobre 18, 2013

bad 2 for 2 :-(

BobN @US-CA-SoCal | Octobre 18, 2013

Just upgraded my build for order confirmed Oct 10. Thanks, all you sharp-eyed folks!

jeffsstuff | Octobre 18, 2013

So mine is due in December. Does that mean it will include the new mirrors or the old? Need I pay $250 more to get them? Definitely, they are a feature I want!

BobN @US-CA-SoCal | Octobre 18, 2013

You need to ask for the change to your order. It will increase the price by $250.

Thomas N. | Octobre 18, 2013

Unimportant feature to me. One more thing to break.

cbassdriver | Octobre 18, 2013

Just added it to my late november build for $250!! It will make parking in my garage a lot easier.